Structural toy



Oct. 28, 1.930. T. 1. POTTER STRUCTURAL TOY Filed April 18, 1927 dim m o In: 0

@mio m Patented t.2s,1930 1.; a I 1,779,826

. UNITED OFFICE, a, l I V f i rnonriis I. roman, or ronrnannonn'eolv I I v i p .::Z. F U LY c 1 7 a piieauoa 'fiieaa n3,1927. seria1'iio;'-1s4,e70. l

' --This invention relates generally to the --.art unit. Figure 4 is a perspective viewof an of toymaking, and-particularly to structural" angular section equipped :withthe-"special elements whereby various devices'can be con'-. jointforming elements; Figure 5 is an en structedlifrom"standard partsiby varying the: larged section throughthe joint and. anat- 5 manner in which they are assembled; l tachedpart; Figure 6 is a transverse section The main object of thisinvention is 'to protaken along the line 66 in Figure 5; Figvide a special form of structural element by ure T is a perspective view showing a'form' means'of which various constructions;-can be ofelement not requiring the special joint conv assembledor taken down i'na'relativelyshort nections. Figure 8 is a, similar-element in v 10 spaceof time by achild or unskilledperson. which the special joints are'employed. Figv The second .object'is to provide a structural ure 9 is a perspective view of an angulareleelement which fcan be" asse1nbled or united mentx, Figure 10 isafragmentary viewin V with other elements by merely pressing same enlarged perspective showing several oi the r I 1 together with the fingers, and the connection units: fastened xtogether Wiblijg-OIlGp-POIfiOIl made will be extremely secure and at the same broken away showing how-r-two' perforated time permit of angular movement and the parts -.can:'be-mounted.0n'one flanged fastensubsequent separation. of the parts without ing. "Figure ll lis' a plan-oi theflelement 11; the use of tools ofany kind. shown in Figure 7 {Fi re 12-isa viewof The third object is to provide a special the smallest unit H'embo yingi only'as'ingle 2 form of joint whereby various structural elefastener c y V a V ments can be joined together without the aid Similar-numbers of reference referto-simof separate parts such as bolts, nuts, pins or ilarparts throughout the'severalviews. 1;

otherseparate elements. Referring inrdetail to the drawing, it will The fourth object is to encourage the as- ,beseen that there is'illustrated several'represemblingof the various partsinto different sentati've'typesofelementSwhichmayhave combinations by merely reducing the amount no end: of v variations ;.forfilength, breadth, of labor and patience required for such op- I thickness cor-cross section. Qnlyafew of the erations, thereby adding to the experience representative-forms are-shownas theseare" I and training afforded theuser'by means of "sufiicientto conveyithe'iideainvolved:v .c

such devices. '7 V V f-Bilefiy,'tl'lHlIIVQlltlOIi resides in using-flat It is a well known fact that while various steel memberswhichgare united'at theirpoints types of structural elements are now on the .ofintersection by snap fastenerspreferably market in which the assembling is preferably integral cor/permanently attached to: one ,01

made by means of small bolts and nuts that theother of theintersectingpieces; is such assembling, even on a moderate scale, is 'In: practice it" 's pref 1 sufficient to try the patience of an adult, r r ,.r0und;.-h01es and. fasteners along; the which is much more the case with a-younger length-of a section, although, of course,other person, who, having sustained his interest pieces having'all' fasteners; or all; pen holes sufficiently-to assemble the parts of an intercan be convenientlyemployedl esting and possibly ingenious device will not In Figure 7 .isshown-a rela'tivelylshortflat I be apt to pick it apart and re-assemble it in link 11 provided-iwithroundopeningsiIZ- and a new combination on account of the labor roundediends:13if-"In Figure 8 is shown a involved. small"ele'men t:biit-' with 'fasten'e-rielements at V 7 It is to overcome these objections that the' each'e1'1d.'"fEach fastener element consists of device describedfin the following specifi'caa=flanged opening 14 whose oppositesides 15 tion has been constructed,as. illustrated-in areinturned-toward each other, the inturned the accompanying drawing, in which j portions projectingslightlybeyond the flange Figure 1; is a plan of-a'long flat unit; Fig 14 and separated therefrom by the slits l6,

y the desired resiliency tothe fasi ure 2 is a similar view of a shorterunit and whiclifsup-pl Figure 3 is a'similar view; of a stilllshorter tenergi'j g erable' toyal'ternately Q It is also preferable to undercut the exteriors of the members in order that they shall more securely hold an associated member by passing through its circular hole 12.

It will be noted that in Figure 1 a long element 17 is shown and in Figure 2 a shorter element 18 is illustrated, whereas i-nFigure 3 a still smaller element 19 is shown. In Fig ure 1 an angular element is illustrated with its fasteners on the inner side of the angle, although this is not necessarily the'case. In 1 Figure 9 is shown an angular element2lhav- 1 ing only two connections, one ahole12'and the other a fastener (above described); Figure 11 is shown close to the member 17 for the purpose ofillustrating the fact that its openings 12 are spaced differentlythan in the memberscontaining fasteners, since thewele ments having only the holes 12 are commonly employed only as braces or diagonal 'mem berg f f l :i': T

In'Figure 10 are included other elements: such as ashaft22, a:crank 23,:a' pulley'24ka'nd operating line such as are commonly found in toysof this nature:

In Figure 12 is shown a'single fastener26 whose flanged portion- 15 isofany desired canbe easily joined together;

length for the purpose of uniting two .ormore formed in one member, said flange having diametrically opposed parts thereof projecting therefrom beyondits flange and inturning toward each other, the outer portions which project beyond said flange extending outside of the periphery of said flange in a manner to be compressed when a perforated part is placed upon said flangedtprojection and then to urge said perforated part against said flanged projection bearing member.

A-snap fastener for joiningitwo sheet Imetalstructural units consisting of oneperforatedmember and one snapbearingmember,;said snap consistingof a flanged opening the flange of which'is adapted to enter the-perforation 'in'said first mentionefd niemher, said flange having parallel slits. formed: therein extending into ithe'aflat portion of. the. member itself-for the purpose of forming springs in the side of said flange, theymatee, rial between said slits forming projecting areas extendingbeyond the end efisaid flange ancl then inturningtoward each other and the outerv portion-of said projecting-areas eX- tending.- outside of said: flange to form .a spring retainer for the perforated:part.

THOMAS. I. POTTER.

plates together. In'other Words,--t-he mem.-.

ber- 26 is a separate fastening unit instead of being integral with either of the joinedplates. By means of the unit 26 a number o'f-elements (such as are shown in *Figure'Ti'for instance) While the circular shape of flange 1 1 preferable in most instances, this member can be made square or assume other shapesout side of that illustrated, for the purpose of preventing the. relative movement of the associated parts without the employment ofbraces, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 6.

The element 11, as shownin Figures .7 and 11,- may either be spaced similarly to theopemv ings 12 and the flanged openingslgor they r maybe spaced to distances equaling the hypotenuse' formed by perpendicularly inter sectingbars- 17 between pair of :flanged openings 14 immediately-adjacent to the point of intersection,for other related points of fastening. In other words-if all of the openings and fastenings were equi-distantly spaced it would be impossible to use diagonal braces for holding other parts perpendicular to each other, but this-objection is-overcome by providing certain members 11 with increased spacings, as suggested w I am aware that many forms-of structural elements have been made in the past I therefore do not claim such devices broadly but intend to cover only such forms and'modifications thereof in which snap fasteners are employed as set forthin-the appendedclaims.

a I claims *1. snap fastener. for flatmet'al structural units consisting of a flanged projection 

